'We're just getting started, Italy can be changed' says premier

(ANSA) - Rome, March 7 - Italian Premier Matteo Renzi on
Friday spoke out against a wave of criticism that has hit his
fledgling government, calling it "ridiculous".
"I don't understand on what grounds they're attacking us
since we haven't really started yet," he told Italian daily La
Stampa.
Renzi, whose government was sworn in less than a month ago,
said confidence in the government was "growing" despite
criticism over electoral-law reform, State finances and some
undersecretaries with legal problems.
He said he was "ready to talk with anyone" over four
undersecretaries he has defended despite their being under
investigation on allegations ranging from embezzlement to
fiddling expenses.
On the EU's criticism of serious imbalances in the economy
and risks to fiscal consolidation, he said former economy
minister Fabrizio Saccomanni "told us about it, so I don't
understand the attacks".

Responding to the criticism later in the day, Renzi tweeted
that "Italy can be changed, but the mindset of those living with
their prejudices can't".
The new government's credibility is on the line over a
reform that would see the Senate transformed into a leaner
assembly of local-government representatives stripped of
law-making powers.
Renzi is hopeful the new election law will be passed in the
Lower House quickly and then win definitive approval in the
Senate shortly after.
Its passage in the House suffered a small setback this week
when a vote was postponed to next week, slowing down the
39-year-old premier's fast pace.
Reforming the Senate is expected to take much longer - over
a year as it requires amending the Constitution, which is a far
more lengthy process.
In the interview, Renzi also said "we will start seeing
results" when more details will be revealed on a planned labour
reform after a council of ministers scheduled next Wednesday.
Renzi said last week that reducing Italy's unemployment
rate must be his government's first priority after the latest
figures showed that unemployment in January hit a record 12.9%.
Youth unemployment also rose to 42.4% in January, the
highest since 1977, according to a preliminary estimate released
last week by national statistics bureau Istat.

New polls on Friday also reflected waning support for
Renzi, the leader of the center-left Democratic Party, who is
seen to represent the party's more moderate members.
After a surge in confidence last week in his government, a
new survey published by polling institute Ixe' showed that trust
in the premier has dropped over the past week to 55%, down seven
percentage points.
Confidence in the government also dropped to 50%, down six
points on last week's 56%, according to the survey carried out
on behalf of Agora', a program of State broadcaster Rai.
But the data also said he remains the country's most
popular politician on the national scene.
President Giorgio Napolitano ranked second behind the
premier at 42% as a trustworthy leader indicated by the 1,000
people polled by Ixe', followed by ex-premier Enrico Letta at
40%.

Support for the leader of the anti-establishment 5-Star
Movement, Beppe Grillo, dropped by four points to 27% while
confidence in three-time ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi dropped 1%
to 21%.
Confidence in New Center Right (NCD) leader Angelino Alfano
went down four points to 20%.